Be Sexy, Be Smart

Soa Aids Nederland asked us to help raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections and HIV among people living in the Netherlands from sub-Saharan Africa, Suriname, the Dutch Antilles and Aruba. Recent research has shown these groups to be at greater risk of infection due to cultural factors, which often result in them being less inclined to acknowledge the risk or seek help. This is not only bad for the health of the individuals concerned, but also the wider community. So there's work to be done.

To have an impact on this audience, we knew we'd have to develop an approach which would resonate culturally. The film needed to balance clarity with playfulness to open minds and engage with a very serious message. It had to be sensitive to boundaries, yet direct enough to provoke action. We therefore set about writing a script with an authentic and powerful tone-of-voice, which avoided being patronizing.

Mostly inspired by African art we've crafted expressive hand-drawn graphics and fluent transitions to impart a personal touch and create a powerful visual language, which is easy to relate to for the target audience.

In addition to the general campaign film we also created a piece intended for general practitioners. They're on the front-line in recognizing and advising on this issue, so raising more awareness in this arena is important. This film will be uploaded soon, so keep a close watch on our website.

It was a great project to work on, with many creative challenges. Although very labour-intensive working frame by frame, we feel the resulting look has a charming handcrafted feel to it. It is accompanied by an evocative sound track which intertwines with the narrative, creating a piece that will hopefully resonate with its audience and be very memorable. We hope you like it!

Designed, directed and produced by PlusOne.
http://www.plusoneamsterdam.com